Slight Transformations
by Lair of Secrets
Summary: Sasuke's life during Kabuto's peaceful reign is threatened when a friend (fiend) from his past keeps haunting him, finally forcing him to choose between the peaceful life he has now and a life as an outsider bound to an outsider.


**Slight Transformations**

Summary: A friend (fiend?) from Sasuke's past keeps haunting him, finally forcing him to choose between the peaceful life he has now and a life as an outsider bound to an outsider.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Warning: Sasuke and Naruto pairing- as friends, and maybe something more.

Spoilers: None, it's AU.

'_thoughts'_

"Dialogue"

**sounds**

/Actions/ ... I'll only use this if absolutely needed.

0000 Scene Change

**Prologue**: _Traces of Suspicion_

As Sasuke patrolled the forests around Konoha, taking in the scents of fragrant lemon trees and the soft rusty smell of rotting autumn leaves, he couldn't help but reminisce about a certain blue eyed blond as hints of dried blood seeped into and overwhelmed his senses.

He smirks as the whiffs of blood grew stronger, probably indicating an ancient battle and inevitable deaths, smirking because he knew that, though most people had associated his dear friend Naruto with orange, he associates him with red- with the energy, the elixir, the passion and the thrill of blood, of splattered, angry, fervent blood...

Sasuke's insides shattered after _Naruto_ 'left,' and as any of his jobs seemed so mundane after his glittering, energetic troublemaking cohort passed away. Of course his death had also marked the end of what turned out to be a **war of conquerors**- Konoha's fire country and all of the other countries have seen peace for years now- decades it seems. Sasuke felt his life had slowed to a stop, not that he really enjoyed a fast paced life in the first place, but now it was painstakingly sluggish and dull.

Sasuke froze mid-step.

Did he sense _something_? He thought he heard something, felt something tug at his senses and at his heart, but once again he quickly squashed the hopeful thoughts of _a certain prophesized return_.

He was afraid of _those_ prophecies coming true, but at the same time, he yearned days and sleepless nights that turned into months and years for it to come true. And yet he couldn't make himself believe… _That all the praying and gift offering the Village Elders made on the newly erected and extravagant Naruto shrine would bring him back to life peacefully._ Sasuke hadn't understood why the sudden change in treatment of his friend- he scoffed at the irony: one who was treated as a parasite to society when he was alive is now offered magnificent gifts in his death; these generous offerings made in hopes of pacifying his soul, appeasing his anger, amending and recompensing mistreatment.

People feared his return, and furthermore, the end of war had eradicated any fighting spirit the village had left, '_And_ _made them weak_,' Sasuke thought. '_They would have fought his return, had the supposed rebirth been with vengeful intentions, tooth and nail to protect their loved ones before the ending of the war. But now the villagers are sniveling weaklings who try to buy peace for their souls.'_

Sasuke knew that the actions of the Elders would never worka lesson Naruto had taught him- to live for people while they were alive, not while they are dead. It's too late to mend wronging another when the victim is dead.

He'd also secretly wished that when he disposed of Naruto's body as an Anbu it was just a bad dream, a realistic nightmare, or perhaps a genjutsu Orchimaru had created to consume him with more hate, to make him more vulnerable, to use Naruto's death as the ultimate bait, as the ultimate revenge for Naruto's continuous rescues and thus continuous thwarting of the snake-man's plans... to bait Sasuke into destroying the fragilely and uneasily established peace.

While he wondered why Naruto was almost made into a deity and while he was thankful that his friend was finally acknowledged, he hated the way those insipid "prophecies" made him hope that Naruto would indeed come back, and even if comeback vengeful and spiteful like they said, not like the ball of sunshine as Sasuke remembered. _But that he would come back_.

The rapid beating of his heart had not slowed down.

He quickly jumped onto a convenient branch, blending into the tree, finally releasing the air he held when he made sure the coast was clear.

Now he returned to the floor lazily and sloppily. There was nothing to be afraid of anymore, he thought, the peace had been too tranquil. His ninja skills were going to waste.

'_It just seems he sucked the jest of out of my life_,' he thought more than a little bitterly. '_His death ended the war, ended his trouble causing, attention grabbing, thrill seeking ways, and ended the excitement in my life!' _

He was sneaking in those thoughts, now relaxed and dazed and daydreaming as he bathed in the easy foliage-covered sunlight, knowing full well he needs to let go of this sweet ephemeral dream to return to his reality with his new girl... and reality as police detective exclusively employed as hunter of the elusive and mysterious catlike woman- the woe of powerful politicians for unclear reasons- living in the peace loving era under Kabuto. _'Heh, a powerful Uchiha ninja completely subjected to the whims of politicians!' _He mentally giggled. _'My father would throw a fit.' _Oh yea, and late 'revenge,' he reminded himself as he was pulled reluctantly back to reality of responsibilities, to his most important responsibility, though his departed friend had shown him an eye for an eye just makes the world blind.

He doesn't really know what he wants to do with his brother anymore. The peace has dulled him as well, he begrudgingly thought, it used to be so black and white. _'Maybe I'm just a sick of everything as well and just want to reconcile with him. Scratch that, he's the reason Naruto died.'_

And still, he couldn't help but secretly reminisce about the sweet gentle boy with big dreams.

He caught an almost imperceptible quick scrambling of feet, as well as a brief but intensely urgent charka release, one so familiar to him that he almost fainted just from breathing in the nostalgia and from the coincidence. He was thoroughly confused, so happy he could faint, and so skeptical he almost hated himself. But he knew this charka release was desperate, and if he didn't act quickly, it could mean a devastating end to the peaceful life as he knew it.

000000000000

Naruto, _or whoever/whatever I am_, he thought acrimoniously, clutched his chest. He is still slowly coming to terms with his 'other half,' the demon part of him... as well as his new identity as... well, we'll get to that later.

But this is something new, these sudden and random spurts of pain. It was so unbearable he had unintentionally released an intense amount of charka. As the thought of that hit him, he cursed- "Shit, I'm as Naruto right now!"

This charka release is signed with Naruto's distinctive blue, pure, and piercing signature, and knew he would be recognized by those around him. Especially by those who had been close to him. He cursed some more as he realized that he was still near Konoha, and the ones who would recognize him are far too many. He desperately thought of escape, of trickery, of finally coming out with the truth, of- gods forbid- _death_. "_Hmph, I've already 'died,' can't be that bad second time around_," he snickered sullenly.

Feeling the rapidly advancing agitated dark blue charka of his childhood friend, as well of the fluffy yellow charka that hid none of its routine perverted thoughts, rushing towards him, Naruto quickly scrambled for a solution to avoid the seemingly inevitable confrontation.

000000000000

Iruka jerked his head towards to Kakashi, who had stopped mid snore.

'_Did you feel that?" _Iruka lingered with his eyes, fearing his voice would fail him.

The wide bewilderment in the single eye on the normally poker faced man answered his anxious question.

They hesitated, the world seemed to come to a stop, and looked around. Charka usage had not been allowed for ten years, and they had not felt _this one for more._ They wanted to see if anyone else felt and understood the charka release, or worse yet, recognized it. Scanning the room quickly and making eye contact once again from across the round table, they confirmed that they were the only ones who recognized it, giving each other a weak reassuring smile.

Iruka nodded towards the Hokage tower, and Kakashi took the immediate leave towards the charka burst.

"May I be excused?" he asked politely as he stood up and walked briskly towards the door.

"And I as well?" Iruka asked hesitantly, almost dejectedly, bowing as he too retreated towards the door.

The other men and women present gave each other knowing looks, all thinking that warriors, especially warriors of the tormented kind, will never be fully integrated into the new world.

Kakashi knew that Iruka would be disappointed to leave in the mist of the meeting, and that the other businessmen, would wonder at their sudden departure, but he wanted no room for question, especially in regards with **that **charka signature.

**To Be Continued on a sunny Californian Day...**

**Endnotes:**

I'm not big on reviews, because I'm afraid it will affect my writing and distract me from my storytelling. But I'm big on feedback, whether positive or negative, so that I may improve (as writer AND as a person). So yea, critique away.

I'm not too comfortable with writing yaoi stories reeking of sex, but I don't like Sakura, I don't see Ino with anyone else but Shikamaru (I love that guy!), I think Hinata's too weak... And I don't know enough about Temari. I suppose I could write about Tsunade or Shizune, but pairing any of the male leads with Tsunade would be pedophilia, and once again, I don't know too much about Shizune.

And I could create my own characters, but that's boring, and is just an easy way out. It's much more challenging if I develop the original characters.

And frankly, I like the interaction between Naruto and Sasuke. Realistically, Sakura is so in love with Sasuke that they just might end up together, but I don't see Sasuke ending with someone so selfish, so stuck-up, so hypocritical, so whiny, so annoying, so dependent, so cowardly, so annoying. Can you see, I love Sakura!

Naruto and Sasuke have that denial thing going on- they're good friends but won't ever admit it. They're so similar- alienated neither by his own choice- Sasuke because of his family's mass murder and Naruto because of his demon. Naruto is the only one who doesn't weigh Sasuke based on his family name, and Sasuke represents everything that Naruto wants and doesn't have- recognition, admiration, even if for superficial reason, and furthermore, he knows Sasuke is pitied as well as feared.

Since I'm always wondering about 'war' and the horrors it permits to transgress without so much as a blink of an eye, I'm writing a piece about what would happen to Konoha if the Naruto-verse is touched by peace- and the transitions it requires. And ambiguity it creates. (Writing especially in light of the war in Iraq, the current mind-state of Americans used to living (and dulled?) by peace.)

And maybe give my answer the eternal historical question- are heroes created by the times or are the times created by the heroes?

Happy Reading!


End file.
